Jack.



LE ROYWILLOUR.

JACK. I API'LIOATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910.

Patentd Aug. 23, 1910.

Psrzns ca.. WASHINGYON, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LE ROY WILLOUR, 0F ASHLAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ASI-ILANDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ASHLAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LE ROY WJLLOUR, citizen of the United States,residing at Ashland, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Jacks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to jacks, and more particularly to a ack designedto be used in connection with automobiles.

An important object of this invention is to provide a jack soconstructed that the rack-bar may be quickly raised for engagement witha load before the same is operated to elevate the load.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter which is compact, strong, and positive in its operation.

My invention consists generally in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the jack. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 4 isan enlarged sectional view through the worm gear and associated members.Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the pawl and associated members.Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-section taken of line 66 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, thenumeral 1 designates a base centrally upon which is formed an upright 2.This upright is provided with a suitable axial opening for the receptionof a rack-bar, 3, which is provided upon one side with teeth 4 as shown.The rack-bar 3 is mounted within the upright 2 to reciprocate, and thisrack-bar is provided at its upper end with a head 5. The rear wall ofthe upright 2 is provided with a longitudinally arranged slot 6 as shownin Fig. 3, and disposed within this slot is a knob 7 which is fixedlysecured to the lower end ofthe rack-bar 3. The forward wall of theupright 2 is provided near its upper end with a projection or trunnion8, which is disposed at right angles to said upright. Rotatably mountedupon this trunnion is a worm gear 11 which has a forwardly extendlngreduced portion 13 which is square in cross section and cast integralwith said worm gear. Upon the square portion 13 is arranged aratchet-wheel 14, which is accordingly non-rotatable with relation tothe worm gear 11. An operating handle or lever 15 is rotatably mountedupon the free end of the trunnion 8 as shown and is held in place by awasher 16, mounted upon said trunnion and which is in turn held in placeby means of a cotter pin 16*. The operating handle 15 is provided with ahousing 17, within which is slidably mounted a pawl 18 which engages theratchet-wheel 14. The pawl 18 is urged into engagement with theratchet-Wheel 14 by means of a coil spring 19, which is disposed withinthe housing 17. The pawl 18 extends outwardly beyond the housing 17 andis provided with a suitable head 18", by which said pawl is actuated.

The upright 2 is provided near its upper end and above the worm gear 11with spaced cars 20, each of which is provided with a verticallydisposed slot 21. Within the slots 21 is rotatably mounted ahorizontally arranged shaft 22, upon which is mounted a gear wheel 23.This gear Wheel 23 as shown, is disposed between the cars 20 and isadapted to permanently mesh with the teeth 4 of the rack-bar 3. The gearwheel 23 is further adapted to normally mesh with the worm gear 11 asshown in Fig. 2. As

the gear wheel 23 has to engage the straight teeth 4 of the rack-bar 3and the spiral tooth of the worm gear 11, I form the teeth of said gearwheel 23 with diametrically opposite curved edges 24, and straight edges25, as illustrated in Fig. 1. It is to be understood that the straightedges 25 cooperate with the teeth 4 of the rack-bar 3, and the curvededges 24 cotiperate with the spiral tooth of the worm gear 11. Theupright 2 is provided near its upper end and upon opposite sides withhorizontally arranged spaced superposed brackets 26, which are securedto this upright by means of bolts 27 or the like. The brackets 26slidably support a U-shaped member 28, which is provided upon each ofits sides with a longitudinal opening 29, within which is disposed a pin30, which in turn is fixedly secured to the upright 2. Each of the sidesof the U-shaped member 28 are adapted to be arranged upon the shaft 22as shown in Fig. 2, for preventing the accidental displacement of thesame. Each of the sides of the U-shaped member 28 is preferably roundedoff as at 31, whereby the same may be easily forced upon the shaft 22.The U-shaped member 28 has a knob 32 fixedly secured thereto, wherebythe same may be moved horizontally toward or away from the shaft 22. Asshown in Fig. 2 the sides of the U-shaped member 28 are disposed uponthe shaft 22, and when desired the operator may by grasping the knob 32,draw said U-shaped member rearwardly until its sides are out ofengagement with the shaft 22. This rearward movement of the U-shapedmember 28 is limited by the pin 30, which is disposed within the slot29.

In the operation of the jack the U-shaped member is moved so that itssides are out of engagement with the shaft 22, whereby said shaft isfree to move vertically within the slots 21. The operator then graspsthe knob 7 and raises the rack-bar 3 until the head 5 comes inengagement with the load. As the rack-bar is being raised the pinion 23in engagement with the same will be elevated sufficiently to disengagethe worm gear 11, thus permitting the rack-bar 3 to be raised withoutthe rotation of said worm gear. After the rack-bar has been sufficientlyraised, the gear wheel 23 is permitted to mesh with the worm gear 11 andthe U- shaped member 28 is moved to engage the shaft 22 as illustratedin Fig. 2. The handle 15 is then oscillated upwardly to cause therotation of the ratchet-wheel 14, which rotation is acordingly impartedto the worm gear 11, whereby the gear wheel 23 is rotated and the rackbar 3 accordingly elevated. The operator then draws the pawl 18 out ofengagement with the ratchet wheel 14, to allow the lever 15 to beoscillated downwardly without rotating said ratchet wheel in an oppositedirection. It is to be understood that the pawl 18 may be employed torotate the ratchet wheel 14 in either direction to raise or lower therack bar 3 as desired. It is also obvious that when the rack bar 3 hasbeen moved to its uppermost position, the operator may move the U-shapedmember 28 out of engagement with the shaft 22, and then raise the shaft22 sufiiciently to disengage the gear wheel from the worm gear 11,whereby the rack bar 3 may be quickly lowered without the rotation ofthe worm gear 11.

I wish it understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatcertain changes may be made in the form and shape of portions of thesame, without departin from the spirit of my invention as specified inthe annexed claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame, a rack-bar slidablymounted therein, ears provided with elongated slots arranged upon saidframe, a shaft rotatably mounted within said slots, a gear wheel carriedby said shaft and in operative engagement with said rack-bar, asubstantially U- shaped member for normally retaining said shaft in itslowermost position, a worm gear meshing with said gear wheel, and meansfor actuating said worm gear.

2. In a lifting jack, an upright, a rackbar slidably mounted therein,said upright being provided with ears having elongated slots, a shaftrotatably mounted within said elongated slots, a gear wheel mounted uponsaid shaft to engage said rack bar, releasable means to positively holdsaid shaft in its lowermost position, a worm gear to mesh with said gearwheel when the latter is in its lowermost position, and means to actuatesaid worm gear.

3. In a device of the character described, an upright a rack-bar havingslidable engagement therewith, a stud shaft connected.

to said upright, a worm gear rotatably mounted thereon, a gear-wheelmounted to mesh with said rack-bar and movable into and out ofengagement with said worm gear, a device for normally holding said gearwheel in engagement with said worm gear, and means to rotate said wormgear.

4. In a lifting jack, a standard, a rackbar having slidable engagementtherewith, a worm gear rotatably mounted upon said standard, saidstandard being provided with ears having elongated slots, a shaftrotatably mounted within these slots, a gear wheel mounted upon saidshaft, to mesh with said rack bar and be moved into and out ofengagement with said worm gear, a member slidably mounted upon saidstandard to engage said shaft to hold the same in its lowermostposition, and means to rotate said worm gear.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LE ROY WILLOUR.

Witnesses:

C. G. PHILLIPS, J. A. SHEARER.

